The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that results from some polling units in six local government areas of Anambra State were not recorded due to operational hitches during Saturday’s governorship election.
The affected local governments are Anambra West, Idemili North, Idemili South, Awka South, Ihiala, and Ekwusigo.
Announcing the final results in Awka, the Returning Officer for the election, Professor Edoba Omoregie (SAN), explained that while the election experienced challenges in parts of those areas, the outcome did not affect the overall result or necessitate a rerun.
Professor Omoregie said the Electoral Act and INEC Guidelines provide clear procedures for determining a winner after the collation of results, particularly when the margin of lead between the first and second candidates exceeds the number of registered voters in polling units where elections were cancelled or inconclusive.
He stated that the difference between the votes secured by Professor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was greater than the total number of registered voters in the affected polling units.
According to him, the margin of difference between the scores made by the APGA candidate and the APC candidate was not enough to halt the declaration of election results or call for a run-off on account of the polling units in the six LGAs with issues.
Professor Omoregie further noted that Professor Soludo met all constitutional and regulatory requirements for declaration, having secured not less than 25 percent of votes in at least two-thirds of the state’s 21 local government areas.
He therefore declared that as the Returning Officer for this election, I hereby declare that Soludo Charles Chukwuma of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes, is hereby returned elected as Governor of Anambra State.
3 arrested for vote buying
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Saturday night confirmed the arrest of three persons for allegedly buying votes during the Anambra State governorship election.
It could be recalled that all the candidates that participated in the election including Governor Soludo, Ukachukwu, George Muoghalu as well as the 2023 Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi alleged vote buying by members.
In a post on her social media handles, the EFCC confirmed that the suspects were two males and a female, adding that they were arrested from various parts of the state.
The Commission identified the suspects as Emeka Ilokasia arrested at Ward 2, Njikoka Local government, Anambra; Nwachukwu Loretta, arrested at Ward 2(008), Awkuzu, Oyi local government and Emeka Chuwudi, arrested at Umunachi village, Dukonukofia local government.
“All the suspects were arrested while participating in the governorship election held on Saturday, November 8, 2025
“They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” it stated.
One voter in PU of 231.
Furthermore, Polling Unit 005, Ochuche -Umuodu, in Ogbaru local government area witnessed the lowest turn out of voters on Saturday.
The polling unit with 231 registered voters for the governorship election had only one voter cast his vote in the election.
Incidentally, three officials of INEC including two polling officers as well as security officials were deployed to the unit for the conduct of the election.
Resources were also spent to convey the officials, pay their allowances as well as materials for the election.
The only voter had however given the APGA his vote, with other political parties scoring no votes in the polling unit.
One of the officials, who confirmed the development on anonymity had expressed worry that they “wasted the day for the sake of one vote”.
She stated that ” We have been here since morning and the only voter walked in around noon to cast his vote.
” Now we have closed in accordance with the regulations. So no other voter came to vote. We have recorded the sole vote in favour of the APGA where he voted “, she stated.
